With baseball’s preseason kicking into gear, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Baseball is back!
Pitchers and catchers are reporting to camp ahead of Spring Training for 18 of the league’s 30 clubs today. When combined with the early reporting dates for the Dodgers and Padres, that means camp will be underway for two thirds of the league by the end of the day. Even as teams begin their preparations for the coming campaign, however, four of the offseason’s top 10 free agents remain on the market and the rumor mill continues to buzz with the possibility of more preseason deals both in free agency and on the trade market.
Among the teams reporting to camp today are the Rangers, who enter the 2024 campaign looking to defend the first World Series title in franchise history; the Diamondbacks, who hope to carry over the momentum that allowed that to make a surprise run to the Fall Classic last year into the new season; and the Twins, who will look to return to the postseason in 2024 after breaking their record 18-game postseason losing streak and won a playoff series for the first time since 2003.
2. Arraez, Marlins await hearing results:
Second baseman Luis Arraez is scheduled to go to a hearing against his club today after the sides failed to come to an agreement to avoid arbitration, as noted by the Associated Press. Arraez requested a $12MM salary for the 2024 campaign, while the Marlins offered $10.6MM. Arraez won his case against Miami last year, when a panel of arbiters awarded him $6.1MM rather than the Marlins’ submitted figure of $5MM. Arraez’s hearing comes on the heels of a loss by Rays right-hander Jason Adam, who also went to arbitration against his club for the second consecutive season after winning last year’s hearing. With five cases as of yet undecided, players have won in seven hearings while teams have won in four.
3. What’s the plan for the Red Sox?
It’s been a strange offseason in Boston. After a lengthy search for the club’s next chief baseball officer which ended the club hiring Craig Breslow, the club made clear that their primary focus this winter would be on bolstering the starting rotation. Since then, the club shipped out longtime ace Chris Sale in a trade that brought second baseman Vaughn Grissom back from Atlanta while landing right-hander Lucas Giolito via free agency. That series of moves that landed the club a potential regular at a position of need but arguably left the club with a similar lack of rotation depth and a volatile top veteran starter. Since then, club officials have backtracked on previous comments indicating a “full-throttle” approach to the winter while noting that payroll would likely go down in 2024.
That conflicting messaging leaves plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Red Sox as the club’s pitchers and catchers begin to report to camp today. While the club continues to pursue additions to its outfield mix via free agency, it’s simultaneously receiving trade interest in outfielder Jarren Duran while also shopping listening to offers on key bullpen pieces such as Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin. Will the arrival of Spring Training provide more clarity on the club’s direction headed into the 2024 campaign?
The Sox have no direction. That’s your clarity.
Not quite true. Their direction is straight towards the bottom of the division.
Not expecting it but 2013 came out of nowhere. Unfortunately, ownership has selective memory and refuses to acknowledge 2012, 2014 and 2015, never mind 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Dewey – IN 2013 the team had several core players that were all-star quality players:
1 Papi
2 Pedroia
3. Peavy
4. Lester
5. Buckholz
6. Elllsbury
Plus they added some key character guys in:
1. Napoli
2. Gomes
3. Victorino
This year we have:
1. Devers
2. Jansen
No character guys added so far so I think the two teams are only alike in that they both don’t appear to be WS Champion level teams. But frankly, this team is 15 games worse than the 2013 team and the AL East is far better today compared to 2013.
NO GONNA HAPPEN!!! Sorry.
TF – Great post and so very true! 2013 is a great example of how a TEAM that excelled in the CLUTCH was superior to all the other teams that had higher WAR’s and better analytics.
One player you absolutely have to add to that list …. one of the most dominant seasons I’ve ever witnessed …. and a guy whose enthusiasm and personality was the best I’ve ever seen …. my personal MVP ….
1.09 ERA …
12.2 K/9 …
0.565 WHIP …
0 WALKS, 16 K’S AND JUST ONE RUN ALLOWED IN THE POSTSEASON …
ALCS MVP ….
Mister ….
KOJI …..
UEHARA!!!
dewey – The Red Sox have THE MOST LAST PLACE FINISHES SINCE 2012!!!
Speaking of last place, I want to wish EVERYONE a very Happy Bobby Valentine’s Day!!!
Troll, my comparison was simply the free agents then were at least to me no big deal. The team overachieved in my view and stole a title.
Fever, after getting rid of Tito, I was actually for BV coming in. Not was I wrong…
Dewey – The FAs weren’t big names but they were big personalities. I loved Gomes and Napoli and Victorino grew on me as the season progressed.
I think a guy like Hendriks would be a great add fro 2024 because he’s the same type of guy that Gomes and Napoli were and he could be a steal of a closer for years assuming the cancer stays away.
Fever – You know you are getting old when you think of Uehara and then write for a couple of minutes and forget him!! My bad!!! A real shocker like Gomes and Napoli.
Autocorrect: said boy was I wrong.
2021 came out of nowhere as well.
Not true, they have direction. Their direction is to cut payroll as much as possible and finish in last place AGAIN.
Redsox Nation is BOYCOTTING EVERYTHING REDSOX until they spend accordingly on ACEs.
Games or concessions at Fenway NO
Games or consessions at Fenway South No
Games or concessions at Salem Redsox No
Games on NESN No
Subscription to Boston Globe No
MLB Ticket streaming services No
Merchandise Definitely Not as at this point it’s embarrassing for Redsox Nation to wear them in competitive MLB. When you spend your time & money on a team Redsox Nation Built John Henry we will resume spending our time & money as well. Until then reap what you’ve sewn. Taking top dollars from us for little in return demonstrates your complete lack of respect for those fans & families who built this Redsox Nation & Team over 124 years and many generations. Good Day Sir
For their lies the Red Sox deserve to see attendance and ratings crater.
Apparently they said “please come to Boston in the springtime” and no one replied.
Only the man from Tennessee is going.
Can we add ticket prices? Those should be cratering too.
That’s the weird part. They didn’t change ownership and attendance is still strong. John Henry and his Henriettes just got super-cheap and went small market. New England fans won’t tolerate that.
And that’s why top brass recently said they’re relying upon visiting fans and people coming for the historic experience of the oldest ballpark in baseball.
It’s like visiting a decaying urinal.
Last time I went, it was a law firm’s box right behind the Sox dugout (four rows out). If offered those seats today, I would politely decline.
GASox – Isn’t it sad that Sox ownership is okay with Fenway being overrun by the opponent’s fans. For instance it was a sea of blue when the Dodgers came to town last year.
As for attendance, it’s misleading because they are literally giving away tickets to many of the games. When you sell packages of 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 drinks for $59-$99 the tickets are basically free but it helps pump the official attendance figures.
Fever, don’t forget the guys like ace tickets who buy from the sox en masse hoping to resell, and, the suckers who believed the front office lies to piss money away on season tix.
Then there’s the ones who show up in the 3rd, leave by the 8th, and paid $5 off stubhub.
All those count on ‘attendamce’ the way Henry releases figures, whether they showed up or not.
GASox – Exactly! There’s many, many ways to fudge the attendance numbers. We all know what they say about anything can’t be trusted anyway.
Pitchers and catchers reporting!
Best four words of the year to our ears!
Three, if you bundle it!
Never thought I’d see the Royals and Pirates, two rebuilding, small market, last place teams, outspend the Red Sox. Alas, here we are.
Pirates would be better off getting rid of Cherington. He’s still basking on his 2013 “Look what I did” performance. He isn’t a builder of talent.
Red Sox payroll $180MM
League Average $162MM
Royals payroll $121MM
Pirates payroll $87MM
I believe he was speaking in terms of money spent this offseason.
I know he was. He needed a reality check.
Facts? They don’t want no facts!!
After the season Arraez had, I’m surprised the Marlins haven’t locked him up for the next several years. They can’t replace his bat.
The bat fades hard in the 2nd half and the defensive metrics are divided on him, and there’s always been concern about his knees long term so there are some questions.
Also, it takes two to tango as they say. Arraez might just have a lot of confidence in his game and wants to pursue free agency.
First Half vs. Second Half
2022 – .338/.411/.445 OPS .856 vs. .289/.325/.389 OPS .724
2023 – .383/.434/.471 OPS .905 vs. .314/.335/.465 OPS .800
$5 million was the arbitration amount submitted by Minnesota before Arraez was traded to Miami
The Red Sox must enjoy being in last place.
In hindsight, Red Sox fans should have given Henry overwhelming support to make the team a publicly traded company so we could buy it from him and kick him (literally) out of the Board Room
Not quite how publicly traded works.
You need to have sellers in order to be a buyer, and, they would undoubtedly create voting stock, probably with transfer restrictions or rights of refusal for the rich guys and non-voting common stock for the plebs to drive up investment.
It’s kind of a toss up as to which sport has a bigger tendency to sport a farmers tan. I’ve narrowed it down to baseball and golf. I’m thinking golf since some teams play in domes and a lot of players sit in shaded dugouts.
Cubs need to look into bringing Martin back to Chicago.
My Crew would love to take Arraez off your hands for a few outfielders or bullpen arms I’d bet. That .380 OBP is just what they need at the top of the order!
Milwaukee should be more worried about a possible rebuild on the horizon
He’d be a great addition to the top of the order for almost any lineup. I’d love to see the Tigers grab him in a package for Jung and others, IF Colt Keith’s arm recovered enough to play 3B.
As a Sox fan my whole life it’s an embarrassment. I wish ownership would sell. It would be nice having a passionate baseball fan of an owner.
Your whole life is an embarrassment?? Either you are under 6 or over 50 plus..embarrassing was 78/86/03 .. missing some my guess but from 2004 till Now it’s been Christmas Day!!! Sorry that everyone doesn’t feel that way but not every year is a bike under the tree.. Am I happy the way the team is headed.. no but before 04 TRUE RED SOX fans knew what the word patience was…enough already…
78/86/03 embarrassments? By whose standards? Certainly not mine. 78 was the year of the injuries. Yankees the first half, Boston the second. They won their last 8 games to force the playoff, which was a classic. In 86, miracles got them beyond the Angels and they had a lead in game 7. They should have won in 86 but it certainly was not an embarrassment like the way 11 ended or 12, 14, 15, 20, 22 and 23. Finally, as for 03, it was an incredible series that if it wasn’t for 04, I could understand the argument with the series’ lead they had. The heart shown in 04 however takes away the sting.
Well said, dewey. None of those years were embarrassments. What’s embarrassing is being content with last place finishes.
I’d add ’21 to embarrassments. Bloom KNEW the issues with the club making its last hurrah with the remnants of the ’18 core, and KNEW they had potential to win, but refused to buy the reinforcements they needed at the deadline.
Not an embarrassment because of what the players did, but because of how the front office blew a golden opportunity, intentionally.
Totally, SoxFan. I believe that ‘21 was not intended to be a winning season for bloom. He was going for a high draft pick but the players had other plans.
Dewey… poor choice of word… was merely pointing out that being a TRUE Red Sox fan has its ups and very low downs.. pre 2004 . .. In 86 I actually bought a American League champion shirt… ( was thrilled they went to a WS ) and let’s face it it they win that Hindu not Papi is the man…well aware they had to win final 8 in 78.. and probably only Redsox fan that was happy that Grady left him in… so to turn my back/ boycott.. etc… ain’t gonna happen but living in Chicago might be easier… still plan on going to Cincinnati in June to see them…
GA. What reinforcements were available that ownership would have let him do? The team caught lightning in a bottle with players getting hot (Renfroe, Hernandez) but then got ice cold and went home.
In Chicago? Go to Piece for New Haven style pizza and great brew
dewey – Wasn’t 1978 the year of the Gerbil?
In 1986 it was Johnny Mac’s boneheaded decision to leave in Buckner, Schiraldi and Steamer.
In 2003 it was Grady’s boneheaded decision, obviously.
And in 2011 Tito was living in a motel battling painkiller addiction (according to the Sox) so not really his fault.
Moral of the story: Managers are like umpires. They can’t win games by themself, but they sure as hell can lose games by themself.
Gerbil? Forgot about Bill Lee, Reggie Cleveland and Bernie Carbo after 75. As for 2003, I may be wrong but I still blame Gedman more than Stanley. That pitch was catchable. Fisk or Vtek definitely catch it in my book.
dewey- pretty sure gerbil=Zimmer, you know, the fool Pedro rightfully threw to the ground. As for 86 goes, too many things went wrong to blame one player for that mess.
Dewey: the red sox were BADLY in need of pitching, particularly starters, and, quality options were available. To win a championship you make those kinds of moves, and, I dont recall a single article at the time saying ownership wouldn’t let him make quality trades. Instead, they didn’t pick up a single starter, and, the two relievers bloom bought were sporting upper 4s or 5s eras and were more about what was cheap than what was quality.
The team got lucky with schwarber considering he was injured at the time, you couldn’t be sure how he’d return, and, they needed a 1B which to that point in time nobody knew how the defense would play there. It wasn’t skill as there was no data to tell how it would play out, just a try and hope, and, again, going cheap was the name of the game.rather than pursue the best available.
That makes two of us who think Richard Leo should have caught the ball..( claims it was supposed to be different pitch) Steamer claims he threw what was called.. As stated many times . When in Boston at pubs etc over years.. when Buckner was blamed solely.. conversation ended… Here in Chicago.. it’s Bartman… both BIGGEST scapegoats in baseball history ( not warranted).Stapleton was far from Donnie Baseball with glove… Pedro greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen..Brasier greatest… well he’s a nice man I’ll end there…
Loved the hats that year!!! Still have the wool fitted.. Gerbil ( lol) Popeye loved in Chicago… not so much Boston…
GASox – Soooooo very true!
On July 31, 2021 the Red Sox were in first place, only 1 1/2 games behind Houston for best record in the league.
And what did Bloom acquire?
Relief pitcher with a 5.59 ERA whose MLB career ended in 2022.
Relief pitcher with a 4.91 ERA whose MLB career ended in 2022.
And a guy who was on the DL for his first two weeks with the Sox.
It was an absolute embarrassment.
Proof that he wasn’t looking to win, Fever.
No true Redsox fan would enable this type of conduct by ownership. Being an enabler is what the family members of alcoholics do. If you’re a true Redsox fan than you’ll be the true part of Redsox Nation capable of the hardest type of love. The love that requires sacrifice and restraint from someone or something we love dearly…that type of love is “Tough Love” make your choice on which type of Redsox Nation member you are…pink hat or truly loyal to the core. The message needs sending BOYCOTT all things Redsox until they get real.
Well I’ll drink to that… but no , fair weather is not in this guy’s vocabulary…
Sox should give Pablo Sandoval another look.
At his size, he should be easy to find.
It takes a certain kind of warped mind to be a Boston fan…historically speaking anyway. The past 20 years have been pretty awesome, but here we are going through a key off season like a small market team.
Arriving at my point… theres a small piece of me that is just waiting for a big move (or moves) that will vault them back into the conversation. I’m prepared for the disappointment, but optimism rings in the spring.
Cmon Sox!!
It will take more than one or even a few ‘big moves’ to get them back into the conversation.
I just read that Kanley Jansen arrived to camp hurt. What do some of these players do in the off season? He had four and a half months to correct an injury and he’s just telling us now? Maybe it’s just a recent thing having to do with training (or lack of it), but the chances of trading him just got slimmer.
On Valentines days? Haha. Pitchers and catchers WAG’s must be furious.
Redsox need to:
Sign either Clevinger, Lorenzen, Ryu or Woodruff
And
Sign either Pham, Duvall or Merrifield.
Stevie – Why an outfielder? You don’t think Rafaela, Duran, O’Neill and Abreu can cut it?
If Breslow can’t get a blue chip SP then the four you mentioned all have decent value going forward. I like Woodruff the most even though he’s hurt. Clevinger and Lroenzen are both solid and likely better than Giolito.
Ryu is a lefty and we need a lefty.
IMO, I dont even care if there’s a potentially *slightly* better OF option this year.
I’d rather give the kids a shot to finish their development, and see what they can do, than see another journeyman who is in late career taking up at bats.
GASox – I think it’s presumptuous to count on Rafaela as a member of the Red Sox on Opening Day. I get the hype, he’s a 5-tool player, but he definitely wasn’t ready for The Show last year and I think he needs a big ST to open with the Big Boys.
Plus don’t the Sox control him for an extra year if he stays down in AAA for a couple months? Honest question as I don’t keep track of that sort of thing.
And O’Neill is a HUGE question mark.
Fever, first, we don’t know how service time will be handled in the next CBA, which will be effective before that question is decided. They could seek to pare it back to straight 6 seasons of being on a mlb roster rather than counting days, especially given the milb is going to be represented. I’m not banking on current service time rules applying anymore, but, currently the last cba expanded service time to now accrue for September call-ups – so that’s already a step moving towards making young players FAs earlier.
I don’t necessarily think rafaela opens on the mlb roster, BUT, I dont think that matters either. Yoshida was bad in the field. But Devers and Casas were both worse defensively than Yoshida when you looked at errors, or advanced metrics like oaa or raa from a prediction standpoint.
The reason I raise Yoshida is twofold: first, his splits as LF vs DH showed a huge dropoff in his slash line, .309/.351/.832 as a LF in 368 PAs, vs .255/.317/.705 as DH in 205 PAs. The problems off the bench cold are even more supported in the small sample PH line of .167/.286/.452. So, to keep his bat potent, he may need to play the field. He may not be cut out for dh, not all guys are.
Second, if the goal is to improve the defense the most while keeping the best bats on the field, you would choose to move either Devers or Casas to dh duty. Why? Yoshida’s stat line was hurt in the second half because of the differences between NPB and MLB, and it’s common for guys tonstruggle their first year of transition then improve subsequent seasons.
Devers and Casas are what they are – they’ve played full-season schedules in the mlb format for years, so, the greater potential for improvement via stretching out longer goes to Yoshida, who, already has less errors and better predicting metrics.
So, the way I see it, you’ve got this: Yoshida should at least be your everyday LF at fenway to test the splits, and, maybe full time gets considered even more so if the dh/lf splits continue. Then you’ve got the aforementioned o’neill, plus abreu and Duran. Then, you’ve got refsnyder and dalbec for…. whatever they do. I wouldnt have renewed ref personally and threw his $2m towards a $5m deal to Duvall, or someone similar, but that money is a waste now.
Then as you point out, rafaela is waiting and it’s not if, it’s when.
OF would be a waste of resources compared to pitching.
Redsox Nation is BOYCOTTING EVERYTHING REDSOX until they spend accordingly on ACEs.
Games or concessions at Fenway NO
Games or consessions at Fenway South No
Games or concessions at Salem Redsox No
Games on NESN No
Subscription to Boston Globe No
MLB Ticket streaming services No
Merchandise Definitely Not as at this point it’s embarrassing for Redsox Nation to wear them in competitive MLB. When you spend your time & money on a team Redsox Nation Built John Henry we will resume spending our time & money as well. Until then reap what you’ve sewn. Taking top dollars from us for little in return demonstrates your complete lack of respect for those fans & families who built this Redsox Nation & Team over 124 years and many generations. Good Day Sir
I AM NOT SHORE IF YOU CAN REAP SEWN THINGS BUT THAT’S BESIDES THE POINT.
IIM ALSO REALLY ANGRY ABOUT THE RED SOX AND AM PLANNING ON BOYCOTING THEM BY TALKING ABOUT THEM CONTSTANLY AND PUNCHING THINGS.
I’M NOT ONLY GOING TO STOP BUYBHING THE GLOBE I;M ALSO GOING TO STOP BUYING THE WASHINGTON POST. WELL I GUESS I DON’;T BUY EITHER BUT IF I DID ID STOP
A Boycott is a Boycott so whatever the spend in time or money, perceived or real…do it! Many in RSN are…tough love is for true Sox Fans not the selfishness that comes by enabling the owners to abuse us collectively, we who built this team over a century and generations
It seems fitting that a full summary of significant Sox moves is relegated to the third blurb in a collection of minor stories.